Shrine of the Sea

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The Shrine of the Sea.

The Shrine of the Sea, also known as Stortemplet, which means "great temple" in the Froyalanish and Wintergleamish languages, is one of the Thirteen Temples of Eluin, the senior temples of the Froyalanish Ancient Ways. The temple complex is situated in the Royal City of Avaldsnes. It is one of the oldest Vanic temples in Elwynn Proper.

About

As regards seniority among the temples of the Froyalanish Ancient Ways, the Shrine of the Sea holds the second spot, and its High Priestess a corresponding rank among the Hjartardýrlafðir. The temple is only outranked by the White Orchid Temple. The High Priestess of the Shrine of the Sea has been assigned a place accordingly in the Order of Precedence by the Royal Household and Heritage of the White Orchid Throne.

The temple is in size also the topmost temple of the Froyalanish Ancient Ways, even surpassing the White Orchid Temple in enormity, and the largest man-made religious structure in the Flower of the North by a country mile. The Stortemplet is for quite a significant portion built in ancient Valtian style.

History

The Shrine of the Sea was founded as Vanic Temple in Wintergleam by Harald of Wintergleam through the issuance of a Comital Charter to an ancient but informal and remote SEKEF chapel as well as a monetary donation from both him and the Jólaslafðir.

Until that time there had been no formal Vanic Temple in Wintergleam because the local magnates - which from the Ducal Reign of Sirithil nos Fëanor included the SEKEF - did not want a powerful Vanic Priesthood to emerge so they endeavoured to - and succesfully managed to block the establishment of a formal Vanic Temple in the Wintergleam area. They were, however, no match for the war hero Count Harald of Wintergleam and had to give in. To sweeten the bitter pill a bit Count Harald arranged that the first High Priestess of the Shrine of the Sea was to be chosen by the aforesaid local magnates and that she, as well as all subsequent High Priestesses of the Shrine of the Sea, would be the second in seniority among the Hjartardýrlafðir.

To add some more sweetener Count Harald had also convinced the Hjartardýrlafðir to decree that the Vanic Temple in Wintergleam would always be the largest temple of the Froyalanish Ancient Ways. Their decree was confirmed by Gyllmára Búlla issued by the Jólaslafðir during the Ducal Reign of Harald of Froyalan (1533-1542) when the aforesaid Yule Ladies gave the Shrine of the Sea its present name.

Count Harald embarked on a massive building program to expand the temple, causing the former SEKEF chapel - which already was quite sizable - to be dwarfed by its newly-built expanses. The SEKEF, realizing that the locals were very enamoured with idea of finally having a formal Vanic Temple of their own, turned their attitude completely around and became the one of the biggest benefactors to the temple with them from then on trying to outdo the other big and constant donors, to wit: the Jólaslafðir and the House of Ettlingar Freyu, causing the Shrine to grow to gargantuan proportions.

Trivia